The front passenger compartment of a vehicle typically includes a dashboard forward of the front seats. The dashboard includes an instrument panel having gauges and other indicia indicative of various vehicle operating conditions. Some vehicles are further configured to include one or more displays in the instrument panel in addition to the gauges. A center stack extends beneath the dashboard and can include a variety of user controls, information and entertainment systems, and other features, as non-limiting examples.
Each of the above-described dashboard and center stack components can be optically coupled to a light source so that the components can be illuminated according to preset criteria or according to user preference. As these types of components increase in number and presence throughout the front passenger compartment, consumers of the vehicle may want features that can provide a more focused driving environment or a more emotional connection to the vehicle without sacrificing the convenience offered by a multitude of dashboard and center stack components.